How do bears walk on the soles of their feet?

Bears walk in a plantigrade fashion, meaning they place the entire surface of their feet—including the soles and heels—in contact with the ground during locomotion.12

This form of movement is a characteristic of the primitive mammalian stock, where the digits, bones of the midfoot, and parts of the ankle and wrist all touch the ground while the animal moves. Unlike digitigrade animals, such as dogs or cats, which walk on their toes with their wrists and ankles elevated, bears rely on this full-foot contact for their typical gait.312

While most bears have hairless soles, this plantigrade structure is highly functional; for example, the polar bear has soles covered with hair, which provides the necessary traction to maintain a firm footing while walking on ice.1